Climate zones in Algeria, 1991 to 2020
Share of Algeria's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 3,061,978 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 2,311,770 km²).
By major group: B (arid) 97%, C (temperate) 3.4%.
BWh, hot desert, is the main climate of Algeria, covering 89% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with BSk (cold semi-arid (steppe)) next at 5.4%. In plain terms, hot desert means very dry and hot. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 6.4% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to BWh (hot desert).
How Algeria's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 3.4% | 1.2% | BWh +1.3 percentage points | Csa -1 percentage point |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 3.4% | 0.8% | BWh +1.8 percentage points | BWk -1.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 6.4% | 1.2% | BWh +3.4 percentage points | BSk -3.1 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 8.8% | 1.7% | BWh +5.1 percentage points | BSk -5.2 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWh Hot desert | 88% | 89% | 91% | 92% | 94% |
| BSk Cold semi-arid (steppe) | 5.5% | 5.4% | 4.5% | 2.3% | 0.2% |
| Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | 4.4% | 3.4% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| BWk Cold desert | 2.2% | 1.8% | 0.6% | 0.1% | - |
| BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | - | 0.4% | 1.4% | 3% | 3.9% |
| Csb Warm-summer Mediterranean | 0.2% | - | - | - | - |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Cities in Algeria and their climate zones
| City | 1991 to 2020 | 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Algiers | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean | Csa Hot-summer Mediterranean |
| Oran | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) | BSh Hot semi-arid (steppe) |
Zones found in Algeria
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was BWh. See data sources and licences.